This Mexico / U.S. film is reminiscent of "spaghetti westerns" of the late '60s and '70s. It has the same cinematic style and emphasis on a winding, convoluted, and somewhat ridiculous plot, decorated by a lot of very accurate gunfighting.
This was James Westerveld's (a talented character actor) last film, and his performance is no disappointment. Westerveld co-stars in support of relative unknown Glen Lee. Lee's character - "Johnnie" - is a psychological case-study. Applebee (Westerveldt) rescues him from a rattler right after Johnny is orphaned in the desert in the spectacularly disorienting opening scenes. As it turns out, Johnny has an almost mystical connection with his gun and becomes Applebee's bodyguard as Applebee raises Johnny like a son. Applebee is an itinerant mortician. With this set up, the plot possibilities seem unlimited - and they are explored nicely! Dead Aim, despite the lightweight title, is a fine little western. the cinematography is good, the acting is good, and the story is entertaining. The script suffers a little from translation, but even this helps give the story and characters a slightly "off" feeling -which is very appropriate given the story-line.
I do not know much about the short-lived Jose Bolanos - who directed this - but I will keep an eye out for therest of his films now that I have seen this.
Recommended for fans of '70s westerns.
This was James Westerveld's (a talented character actor) last film, and his performance is no disappointment. Westerveld co-stars in support of relative unknown Glen Lee. Lee's character - "Johnnie" - is a psychological case-study. Applebee (Westerveldt) rescues him from a rattler right after Johnny is orphaned in the desert in the spectacularly disorienting opening scenes. As it turns out, Johnny has an almost mystical connection with his gun and becomes Applebee's bodyguard as Applebee raises Johnny like a son. Applebee is an itinerant mortician. With this set up, the plot possibilities seem unlimited - and they are explored nicely! Dead Aim, despite the lightweight title, is a fine little western. the cinematography is good, the acting is good, and the story is entertaining. The script suffers a little from translation, but even this helps give the story and characters a slightly "off" feeling -which is very appropriate given the story-line.
I do not know much about the short-lived Jose Bolanos - who directed this - but I will keep an eye out for therest of his films now that I have seen this.
Recommended for fans of '70s westerns.